The applicant proposes to study the effects of age and stress on catecholamine metabolism and hypothalamic peptide concentrations. He proposes to measure (1) hypothalamic amine biosynthesis and peptide (in particular LHRH, oxytocin, somatostatin, vasopressin, thyrotropin releasing hormone and enkephalins) content in rats of different ages using an in vitro methodology which he has developed and used previously for other studies; (2) the effect of acute and chronic stress on these parameters; (3) the efficacy of opioid agonists on this system in animals of various age with and without stress; and (4) effects of pharmacological intervention on stress and aging changes.